Community and Business Development

The Community and Business Development Department promotes a holistic approach to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Winston-Salem so they can enjoy livable neighborhoods and increase their opportunities for self-sufficiency. Our focus is revitalizing and stabilizing disadvantaged and deteriorating neighborhoods, facilitating economic development opportunities, developing housing and neighborhood revitalization plans and programs that accurately reflect and address local needs and conditions.

Business Development Division

The Business Development Division monitors and promotes business and economic development opportunities throughout the city utilizing a series of related programs to provide concentrated assistance to targeted areas and groups. The Division focuses on enhancing the quality of life by attracting, creating, and retaining jobs; augmenting the tax base; and assisting small and minority-owned businesses.

Animal and Fowl - to enforce the sanitation code concerning animals, shelter and fencing, prohibited practices, and sanitary handling and disposal of manure;

Abandoned Vehicle - Identification and removal of abandoned vehicles on city streets and private property

Housing Development Division

The Housing Development Division provides financial and technical assistance to qualified owner-occupants and investors to repair substandard properties. In targeted areas, low- and moderate-income owner- occupants are eligible for direct and deferred payment loans. Investor-owners are eligible for direct payment loans to repair single-family dwellings. Investors are also eligible for direct payment loans to repair multifamily properties citywide. This Division is also responsible for the Emergency Repair Assistance, Architectural Barrier Removal Assistance (Handicap Assistance), the Lead Safe Program, and Section 3 Construction Training Program.

Minority & Women's Business Enterprise Division

The M/WBE Division assists minority- and women-owned business enterprises in providing goods and services to the city. The Division provides workshops and seminars for minority- and women-owned businesses. In addition, the Division provides minorities and women equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of city contracting and purchasing programs, including but not limited to:

Participation in procurement contracts for commodities and services as well as contracts relating to construction.

Repair work and/or leasing activities.

All purchasing at the department/division level that is classified as discretionary spending.

Planning Development Division

The Planning Development Division of Community and Business Development develops housing and neighborhood revitalization plans and programs that accurately reflect local needs and conditions and the desired strategies and outcomes of our citizens. The Division coordinates the implementation and administration of these adopted plans and programs.